M

Mike Bentley

Member
Hi All
I have just bought a 58 plate Freelander 2, Diesel Auto, to tow my Caravan (Which it does very well)
I have a poor back and having driven various 4x4s found them harsh and bumpy, (I know that being high, the suspension has to work hard to stop it falling over). Read lots of reviews and the Freelander 2 was said to have soaked up the bumps well.
The 4 I drove before buying this one had Dunlop's of some description on them and felt comfortable.
I start really feeling the bumps more after half an hours driving,(Never got that long of a road test)
this car has 3 different types of cheapo tyres on and I have had to reduce the pressures to 30 front and 28 rear to get some comfort.
all the reviews I can find on tyres are some 4 years old.

So the question is can anyone recommend a tyre that's best soaks up the bumps,
SORRY TO SWEAR, but for road use only
 
Military bar-treads always make driving 'interesting', and you will forget about the bad back!
 
I have a Disco 2 not a F/Lander, but what I've found is that if you are looking for a "softer" ride it might not be just a matter of tyre choice.
During the warmer months I drive on summer tyres on 18 inch rims, as supplied on the original fit. The colder months I use winter tyres on 16 inch rims.
Both sets of tyres are inflated to the same recommended pressures, but the 16's definitely give a softer ride.
That extra inch in sidewall height seems to make a huge difference.
 
Hopefully your car is on 17" wheels, I would then look at michelins, they usually have a bit of wall flex, the other tip is to pack some weight in the boot to make the springs work, which will soften the ride considerably!!
 
freelander 1 and also got a bad back

fitted some bridgestone duellers and found them very good, there on 16 inch rims

soaks up the bumps well, gives decent traction
 
As you never got long enough to drive the dunlops to the point you normally suffer, it is not entirely reasonable to purely blame tyre brands. A combination of smaller rim and higher profile tyre is almost always a softer ride, so if you have 19s on, try finding some 16s. A quick look suggests that recommended pressures are around 32 both ends, except for the 19s. Under-inflation of tyres is not a good idea, it increases tyre wear, increases tyre temperatures, increases fuel consumption and engine loads, and can lead to sloppy handling.

Damper rate can also affect how harsh a ride feels, so replacement softer/adjustable dampers may help.

+1 for Avons, they used to be standard fitment on Bentleys and Rollers where ride quality was a very big thing.

Moving away from the bits nearer the road, my current disco was the only one I suffered joint pain in, until I replace the driver's seat with a newer firmer one, much better posture, and on a long drive swmbo has to adjust her lumbar support after about an hour to remain comfortable. I also have a heated massaging seat cover that helps on long drives too, as well as the colder mornings.
 
Seffy said:
As you never got long enough to drive the dunlops to the point you normally suffer, it is not entirely reasonable to purely blame tyre brands. A combination of smaller rim and higher profile tyre is almost always a softer ride, so if you have 19s on, try finding some 16s. A quick look suggests that recommended pressures are around 32 both ends, except for the 19s. Under-inflation of tyres is not a good idea, it increases tyre wear, increases tyre temperatures, increases fuel consumption and engine loads, and can lead to sloppy handling.

Damper rate can also affect how harsh a ride feels, so replacement softer/adjustable dampers may help.

+1 for Avons, they used to be standard fitment on Bentleys and Rollers where ride quality was a very big thing.

Moving away from the bits nearer the road, my current disco was the only one I suffered joint pain in, until I replace the driver's seat with a newer firmer one, much better posture, and on a long drive swmbo has to adjust her lumbar support after about an hour to remain comfortable. I also have a heated massaging seat cover that helps on long drives too, as well as the colder mornings.
Click to expand...

i think there's quite a few of us that have bad backs, joints etc, lol

on older landies i used a lumber pillow and the heat pads i heated in the microwave , then put pads inside the lumber pillow

but found with the freelander 1 and the lumber support never suffered with back ache

don't know if it's true but always been told landies with air suspension systems are supposed to be the most comfortable , maybe a myth , lol
 
gstuart said:
don't know if it's true but always been told landies with air suspension systems are supposed to be the most comfortable , maybe a myth , lol
Click to expand...
It would make technical sense if they were the softest ride, after all air compresses way quicker and easier than steel, and it was fitted at the "luxury" end of the range initially where comfort trumps cost. The softest ride I ever had was an old Citroen, it was so soft I got seasick. Sticking with Rolls and Bentley, they used to use Citroen style hydraulic suspension too.
 
Seffy said:
It would make technical sense if they were the softest ride, after all air compresses way quicker and easier than steel, and it was fitted at the "luxury" end of the range initially where comfort trumps cost. The softest ride I ever had was an old Citroen, it was so soft I got seasick. Sticking with Rolls and Bentley, they used to use Citroen style hydraulic suspension too.
Click to expand...

old mate had a citroen and he could adjust the ride , but bloody hell im with u in that i felt sick

see they use them at the races for filming due to being able to smooth out the bumps

know there are so many factors in giving a smooth ride ,

would stick with these bridgestone as i've been very impressed with them

didn't realise that ref the rolls , wouldnt like to see a suspension repair bill on one though
 
thanks to you all for your comments and recommendations ( especially oldseadog!!)
Yes they are 17s with the standard 235/65/r17/v they look quite balloon like, so should take the bumps, just want to replace with a well proven tyre.
 
Mike Bentley said:
Hi All
I have just bought a 58 plate Freelander 2, Diesel Auto, to tow my Caravan (Which it does very well)
I have a poor back and having driven various 4x4s found them harsh and bumpy, (I know that being high, the suspension has to work hard to stop it falling over). Read lots of reviews and the Freelander 2 was said to have soaked up the bumps well.
The 4 I drove before buying this one had Dunlop's of some description on them and felt comfortable.
I start really feeling the bumps more after half an hours driving,(Never got that long of a road test)
this car has 3 different types of cheapo tyres on and I have had to reduce the pressures to 30 front and 28 rear to get some comfort.
all the reviews I can find on tyres are some 4 years old.

So the question is can anyone recommend a tyre that's best soaks up the bumps,
SORRY TO SWEAR, but for road use only
Click to expand...
Me old man had the Dunlop on 19s and they wore so fast it was unbelievable. Can't really rember any changs in ride when the tyres got changed
 
I tried all sorts of tyres when I had my freelander. Ones on it when I bought it were Michelines, eventually went back to Michelines as found they were the best ride in my opinion!
 
Is it just me? I don't know of any tyre that has much of an influence on improving riding comfort described by thr OP, unless you have been driving on mud tyres on tarmac, in which case anything is better. Suspension, tracking, wheel size make a difference, but tyre choice? Really?

Happy to advised otherwise.
 
I'm with @Harold 4x4 here, with the exception of such esoteric data such as noise figures and rolling efficiency, details which any buyer will in reality have to take as the truth since it's inlikely that they'll ever have the equipment, time or money to challenge the manufacturer, tyre choice will be down to what you'll be using them for, what you can afford and what you can easily get hold of.
After that, the most important parameters are suspension and steering configurations, rim size, pressures, tracking and so on.
This assumes that you not going to be fitting any strange sized tyres or wheels, in which case you should have fully researched the subject yourself and be fully aware of any restrictions and also how to use them.
This is why so many posts about tyre choice will often be met with such useful comments as "Round black rubber one are best" and " White walled ones go faster, but only in snow" and so on.
Ultimately it's down to personal preference.
 
Thanks guys
I am just in the middle of removing the diff for a recon, then when done I will change the tyres and report back.
I bought it at a good price to cover the diff and tyres.
My thinking is at least I'll know I have got a recon diff instead of buying a quite one then the diff bearing going later on.
 
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